I've got most of my AK bases covered already with guns in 7.62 and 5.45, including an SBR "Krink", but the one AK that still piques my interest is one of the 100-series carbines.

Obviously this is a shit market to go looking for something esoteric and pricey, but, whatev.

What's the easiest way to get into an AK-102 or 104 clone? I'd be fine with either SBR on a Form 4 or a 16" that could be chopped. The latter is actually preferable.

It looks like Arsenal is pretty well tapped out, and I worry that means the Bulgarian imports/parts are dried up.

And on a related note, is there such a thing as a cheap 5.56 AK mag these days? I'm swimming in 7.62 and 5.45 mags from the good ole import days, but I never got a 5.56 AK (seemed sacreligious), and now I regret that, seeing as how Circle 10 mags are like $50 a pop. But 5.56 is something I already reload for, and 7.62 is harder and harder to find cheap....

Advice?

Another option for a non-SBR but shorter 100-series in 7.62x39 is a so-called "103K" from Krebs Custom.

Mine was built by Krebs back in the early 2000s off a Saiga, but they're still offering 103K conversions these days based off Arsenal SLR-107s. (Or at least were, prior to all this mess.)

Similar to the 104 carbine, just with the separate gas block and front sight instead of the combined single piece, and the larger 74-style muzzle brake instead of the Krink cone.

The barrel is just a smidge over 16" with the pinned and welded muzzle brake.






Link to original video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXRFEsx0DD4


Mine's currently sporting Magpul furniture and an Ultimak:

This might sound absurd, but it's really the gas block of the 12.5" 100 series guns that gets me going and would put something different in my collection that's otherwise filled with AKMs of various flavors and AK-74s.

I found some Arsenal guns on Gunbroker, but the prices just out of my price range to absurd.

I wonder if the best way is to just go for a PSA AK-E and go with a barrel chop. I don't need anything "correct"; a functional shooter with the proper-ish look would be fine.

104 and 105 are the AK perfected IMO. I have a 107CR, I haven't cut yet. I had a bulgy 5.45 I had built to be a 105 then switched gears to cut the barrel to 14.5 and pin the PWS on it. Just didn't want to do NFA. I struggle with the 104 cause I want 12.5 setup the way it should be. But just so tired of NFA and don't want that gun relegated to paperwork. Here's a crappy pic of my 5.45 you can see the threads in front of the GB are cut off. It looked silly with them on there and I didn't foresee SBRing it so I committed with this one. I'm stuck between this and full SBR on the 107CR.